The best things to do in Sydney this weekend

The opening note of ‘The Circle of Life’ may just be one of the most recognisable in a Disney musical. If you don’t agree, then you may have to convince the entire theatre-going audience who were at Disney’s The Lion King on opening night. The full house’s roars could be heard all the way out of the Capitol Theatre’s front doors as the king of musicals triumphantly returns to Sydney – the first time in more than a decade. What type of show is The Lion King? It’s called The King of Musicals for a reason. If it’s not Elton John’s iconically recognisable music, or Tim Rice’s lyrics you’ve sung over a late-night karaoke session, then its Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi’s book featuring the characters you love, the characters you hate, and the ones you undoubtedly cry over – tears were definitely still shed during that scene. What’s so beautiful about The Lion King is the blurring of worlds and culture that merges in between all of these. Julie Taymor’s directorial conception blends African culture, language, movement and costume underneath masks and puppetry of the animal characters. Mufasa’s “crown” is a stoic, strong and towering headdress. The elegant lionesses soar and leap through the sky through Garth Fagan’s choreography as wing-like gowns flow behind them. The animals of Pride Rock are adorned with larger-than-life puppets of intricate designs and architecture: a re-engineered bicycle becomes leaping antelope, birds fly above the crowd on poles manipulated by performers,...

Acclaimed First Nations artist Tony Albert’s major solo exhibition, Tony Albert: Not a Souvenir, has opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). The exhibition explores the commodification and misrepresentation of Aboriginal people and culture – both historically and today – while also celebrating survival, resilience and cultural pride. Bringing together Albert’s photography, sculpture, painting and installation works, the exhibition draws inspiration from the MCA’s location on Sydney Harbour and The Rocks, an area shaped by early colonial contact and now closely tied to tourism and souvenir culture. In tandem with this exhibition, Albert and the MCA have launched the Aboriginalia Appeal, an initiative encouraging everyday Australians to donate mass-produced souvenirs and household items that reduce Aboriginal culture to stereotypes. From ashtrays and tea towels to decorative boomerangs and figurines, these objects are a familiar part of Australian popular culture. Albert uses Aboriginalia as a way to understand the imagery and messages he encountered growing up as a young Aboriginal boy. “I’ve been collecting Aboriginalia since I was a child. And if I had my way, I'd love to take the whole lot of it out of circulation,” says Albert. “It’s about taking these objects and turning them into something that celebrates our survival as the world’s oldest living culture.” The Aboriginalia Appeal gives the public a chance to contribute to that process. Visitors can donate...

Anastasia (1997) was among the first musical films I knew in its entirety. While many children frolicked to Timon and Pumbaa’s playful anthem in The Lion King, I was instead reenacting “Once Upon a December” in my living room, captivated by a heroine whose quiet determination carried her through danger and uncertainty. At the time, I could not have anticipated how deeply this film would shape my relationship with musical theatre. “Journey to the Past” soon became a staple audition piece, and Anya’s unwavering belief in her own worth quietly informed my own developing sense of confidence.  What I did not yet understand, however, was the historical context behind the story: the execution of the Russian imperial family in 1918 and the long-standing myth that Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov survived. The 1997 animated film leans fully into fantasy, using magic and spectacle to distance itself from historical reality. The stage musical, which premiered on Broadway in 2017 with a book by Terrence McNally and music and lyrics by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, takes a different approach, removing the supernatural elements in favour of a more realistic political setting. This creative decision has lingered uneasily over the production since its premiere, inviting criticism for its revisionist narrative – a species of theatrical “fake news,” further undermined by the musical’s questionable commitment to American accents. In performance, now at Sydney Lyric Theatre, this shift...

It’s easy to think that tales of raucous Vikings are the stuff of fiction: horned helmets, fierce warriors and wooden boats that were as intricately carved as they were fearsome on a misty horizon. This year, the Australian National Maritime Museum is displaying an awe-inspiring exhibition with some very real artefacts that show just how pivotal the Viking Age was in forming what we know as modern-day Scotland, England and Ireland.  The Treasures of the Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard exhibition uncovers items that were buried around AD 900. Due to all the looting synonymous with the Viking Age, it was really common for treasure troves of goods to be buried and forgotten about, only to be discovered centuries later.  In 2014, metal detectorists uncovered The Galloway Hoard with five kilograms of precious metals, rare organic materials like silk, heirlooms and more. Sydney's own Australian National Maritime Museum is displaying the collection, on loan from National Museums Scotland, until October. Tickets start from $15 for children, $25 for adults and free for members. You can catch the exhibition open daily from 10am-4pm now, until October 11. Book your tickets here.

It’s time to paint the precinct purple! Yes, Qtopia Sydney is dialing up the glam and glitz for Pride Fest 2026, Sydney’s queer arts and culture festival that celebrates International Pride Month this June. Bigger, bolder and more unapologetic than ever, the 2026 program serves up more than 300 events celebrating queer creativity, community and connection for the entire month of June. From theatre that shocks to drag that dazzles, plus film, dance, fitness, workshops, book launches, panels, parties and pop-up restaurant takeovers – if it’s queer, it’s here. For the first time ever, Pride Fest spills out of the walls of Qtopia Sydney and takes over the entire Oxford Street precinct, transforming fab venues including The Loading Dock Theatre, Eternity Playhouse, Ginger’s at the Oxford, Universal and more into a month-long celebration of LGBTQIA+ pride. The festival kicks off with a bang at the inaugural Pride Fest Gala on June 2 – a high-energy, glitter-soaked night showcasing the best of what’s to come. This year’s headliners include award-winning cabaret icon Skank Sinatra with The Name on Everybody’s Lips (10-14 June), Nails: The Musical (June 25-27) and Juicy Riot (29 June), a high-femme variety extravaganza by Kala Gare and Victoria Falconer. Elsewhere, the program is stacked with must-sees including Homo Grown (June 1), comedian Jess Fuchs’ Feral (June 12-13), Dykes on Bikes (June 14), Saddle Club Line Dancing (June 17), and Still Proud: Honouring the 78ers (June 24),...

Australia’s most popular arts event is back in action for 2026, with the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes bringing a fresh batch of painterly expressions to the walls of the Art Gallery of NSW from May 9 to August 16.  They call it “the face that stops the nation”, and the Archibald Prize has indeed been courting controversy and conversation for more than a century now. This popular portrait prize is always filled with famous faces, with artists from all over Australia (and also New Zealand) capturing the spirit of the times through paintings that capture the likeness of the personalities that define their communities. Melbourne-based artist Richard Lewer is the winner of the Archibald Prize 2026 – he won over the judges with a stunning portrait of Pitjantjatjara Elder, senior artist and ngangkari (traditional healer) Iluwanti Ken. RECOMMENDED: A beginner's guide to the Archibald Prize. The winner of the 2026 Packing Room Prize was announced a week earlier, with the Packing Room Pickers (a.k.a. the Art Gallery staff who receive, unpack and hang the entries) selecting Sean Layh's striking painting of actor Jacob Collins as their favourite Archibald portrait this year.  Meanwhile, the Wynne Prize awarded the best landscape painting of Australian scenery or figurative sculpture to Yolŋu artist Gaypalani Waṉambi, and the Sulman was awarded to Lucy Culliton for the best genre painting, subject painting or mural project.  The annual finalists exhibition is a real must-see,...

If you’re the type to hibernate the second Sydney dips below 20 degrees, consider this your cue to rethink your winter-on-the-couch itinerary. Carriageworks – Redfern’s industrial arts hub – is rolling out a stacked cold-season program that’s less “cosy night in” and more “culture-packed calendar”, running from late May through August. Here’s what you need to know about the Carriageworks winter line-up. Things kick off in a big way with Vivid Sydney (May 29–June 14), as Carriageworks transforms into one of the festival’s key music hubs. The lineup is genuinely stand-out this year, featuring hip-hop royalty Lil’ Kim, R&B hitmaker Ella Mai, EDM heavyweights Alison Wonderland and Porter Robinson, plus genre-bending acts like Skin On Skin and Teletech. It’s not all late-night beats, either – the free Awesome Black Block Party brings a vibrant celebration of First Nations culture, and the (already sold-out) Warakirri Dining Experience will serve up native ingredients in a seriously immersive setting. From there, the program will shift gears towards a more playful artsy offering. Comedy fans should make a beeline for Garry Starr: Classic Penguins (June 16– July 5), a chaotic, mostly-naked sprint through the entire Penguin Classics catalogue that’s already earned cult status on the global festival circuit. Visual art lovers, meanwhile, can explore the Incognito Art Show (June 24–July 5), a massive anonymous exhibition where you can snap up original works without the gallery price...

Thought-provoking. Boundary-pushing. Unapologetically disruptive. The elusive yet world-famous street artist Banksy has another exhibition coming to Sydney. If you missed the chance to see The Art of Banksy: Without Limits at Sydney Town Hall in 2024, you’re in luck. Banksy Limitless opens at The Rocks (155 George Street) on April 1, 2026 for a limited season, following a sold-out run in London.  This new showcase features more than 250 works, large-scale installations, sculptures, digital displays – plus an impressive state-of-the-art hologram experience. Visitors can uncover untold stories behind iconic works including Cinderella at Dismaland, London Zoo and Ice Cream Van, while immersive rooms and bold visual storytelling invite audiences to step inside Banksy’s provocative universe. Renowned for his sharp wit and unflinching social commentary, Banksy continues to challenge perspectives on politics, culture and human rights. In keeping with his humanitarian ethos, a portion of proceeds from Banksy Limitless will support the M.V. Louise Michel, an independent high-speed lifeboat rescuing migrants in distress. So much more than a traditional exhibition, Banksy Limitless is a powerful, multi-sensory experience that will pull you in. Don't miss it.  Ticket prices are from $42 for adults, $30 for children. Get your tickets here. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, travel inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox....

When winter rolls around in Sydney, Vivid steps in to bring a little light to our streets for those first chilly weeks. And while Circular Quay sparkles with kaleidoscopic projections, the real magic often happens indoors – on the stages and dancefloors where the festival’s music program comes to life. Keen to plan ahead this year? Two of the city’s most iconic live music venues – Sydney Opera House and Carriageworks – have just dropped the details of their music programs for 2026. From May 22 to June 13, Vivid Live will take over Sydney Opera House, with more than 50 artists lighting up every corner of the World Heritage-listed landmark. Masterful tastemaker Ben Marshall (Head of Contemporary Music at the house) has curated another divinely diverse program spanning genres, generations and geographies – featuring everything from Detroit techno to Arnhem Land surf rock and the one and only Erika de Casier. In the Concert Hall, indie icon Mitski will headline four sold-out nights, performing in-the-round with songs from her new album Nothing’s About to Happen to Me alongside all-time fan faves. Meanwhile, Matt Berninger – best known as the frontman of The National – will deliver a rare, intimate set featuring material from his reflective solo album Get Sunk. Scottish post-rock pioneers Mogwai will celebrate 30 years together with a career-spanning performance, while Yolŋu rock heroes King Stingray make their Opera House debut (indoors at least, they opened for Parcels on the...

The Biennale of Sydney returns for its 25th edition from March 14 to June 14, 2026 – and, as always, it’s completely free. Titled Rememory, this year’s festival is curated by internationally renowned artistic director Hoor Al Qasimi. Inspired by the writing of Toni Morrison, the theme explores how memory and history shape who we are. Through powerful artworks from Australia and around the world, artists reflect on their roots to connect with communities by telling their stories. At its heart, Rememory shines a light on voices that haven’t always been heard. It highlights First Nations stories, diverse diasporas and the layered histories that have shaped Australia.  As Australia’s largest contemporary art event, the Biennale stretches across five major venues: White Bay Power Station, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Chau Chak Wing Museum at the University of Sydney, Campbelltown Arts Centre and Lewers: Penrith Regional Gallery. Extra talks, performances and events will pop up across Greater Sydney, with a big opening night concert, Lights On, kicking things off at White Bay Power Station on March 13. This year's festival features 83 collaborations from artists across 37 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, India, Lebanon, Argentina and Ethiopia. Expect large-scale installations, immersive works and site-specific pieces from both international and Australian artists. A major highlight is the Ngurrara Canvas II at the Art Gallery of NSW – an 80-square-metre...